Vehicle-spring



(No Model.)

S. A. BAILEY.

VEHICLE SPRING.

No. 857,753. Patented Feb. 15., 1887.

N. PETERS. Plioln-Lilhrgmphur. Washington. 0. c.

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SELDEN A. BAILEY, OF NEYV LONDON, CONNECTICUT.

VEHICLE-SPRING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 357,753, dated February 15, 1887.

I Application filed February 16, 1886: Serial No. 192,083. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, SELDEN A. BAILEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at New London, in the county of New London, State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vehicle-Gears, of which the following is aspecification,referenee being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

The object of this invention is to provide an improved vehicle-gear which combines the properties ofsimplicity,economy,and strength of construction with lightness and symmetry, and which will cause the vehicle to ride easy and steady whether under a light or a heavy load.

Figure I is a rear elevation of this improved vehicle-gear, wherein a straight hind axle is used, the vehicle-body being indicated by dotted lines. Fig. II is a perspective view of this improved vehiclegear, in which both the forward and hind axles are crankaxlcs, the vehicle being indicated by dotted lines.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in both figures.

The front axle, 1, is a crank-axle, and the hind axle,2, may be either straight or cranked, preferably the latter. The crank-axle comprises a depressed central portion, 3, curved portions 4, axle-shanks 5, and axle-spindles 6. A truss-bar, 7, comprising a steel plate, 8, and a wooden bar, 9, said plate and bar being clipped together, is disposed over the front axle in the same vertical plane therewith, being connected at its outer ends to curved spring-brackets 10, which are clipped to said axle. In this construction the bar imparts the weight of the load at points near the wheel.

The lower half of a fifth-wheel, 11, is attached to the supporting'bar 7, and the other half thereof is attached to a semi-elliptic spring, 12, which curves upward from the center of said bar. The hind axle, 2, is connected with the upper half of the fifth-wheel 11, or with the semi-elliptic spring 12, by means of reaches 13, the rear ends of which are clipped to the rear axle. Braces 1 1 extend from said reaches to the rear axle.

The springs for supporting the vehicle-body comprise, respectively, a semi-elliptic member, 12, in connection with two quarter-elliptic members, 15, which cross each other near their centers, the lower end thereof being con nected to the semi-elliptic member and their upper ends attached to the vehicle-body, The quarter elliptic members may be attached to springbrackets 18 on the axle, and are reenforced by platespring cushions 16. These spring-cushions curve downward and are in contact with the quarter-elliptic members a greater or less distance, according to the weight of the load, and serve to strengthen or stiffen said members under a heavy load and permit them to yield readily under a light load. The quarter-elliptic members and the springcushions are provided with corresponding concavo -conveX ribs, 17, and interlock with each other at points where they are attached to the vehicle-body.

The crossing quarterelliptic members, in connection with a semi-elliptic member, with the spring-brackets, and in further connection with the bow-shaped spring-cushions, constitute a spring that is very elastic under alight load, which has the requisite stiffness for a very heavy load, and which has great capacity of self-adj ustment to suit the varying weights put upon it. This spring is espe cially adapted for use as a substitute for the common elliptic spring, and the semi-elliptic member thereof, which takes the place of the lower member of the ordinary elliptic spring, can be made shorter, and consequently may be composed of a less number of leaves than the lower member of an elliptic spring of the same capacity and elasticity; hence this spring is more economical to make and is more com-.

pact and symmetrical.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination, with a vehicle-spring comprising two crossing quarter-elliptic members attached to a spring or spring-bracket on the axle and inclined in opposite directions, of two-crossing bow-shaped spring-cushions having a Variable contact with saidmembers, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with a crank-axle, of the spring-brackets 10, the truss'bar 7, connected at its opposite ends with said brackets, the spring 12, the crossing quarter-elliptic members 15, and the fifth-wheel, substantially as described.

SELDEN A. BAILEY.

Vitnesses:

WILLIAM H. BURnIcK, JAMES H. HILL.

IOG 

